10 of the Best, Most Charming Bookstores in the World
- E.V. Everest
- Aug 22, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 16, 2021
Have you ever visited a bookstore that was so cozy and comforting that you never wanted to leave? Check out the list of magical, charming bookstores. Some of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. You'll find everything from a sprawling, grand bookstore located in a former theater to a folksy bookstore run by a cat boss in Hawaii.
These are in random order because picking a favorite would just be wrong. Tell us which one you'd like to visit most in the comments below!
Octavia’s Bookshop
Gloucestershire, England
When you think of a magical bookshop, you probably think of something just like this... It could be straight out of a Harry Potter novel!
Octavia's Bookshop's iconic purple facade is so magical and cozy that you may recognize it from Pinterest or Instagram! They are self described as "an independent, nostalgic, magical bookshop that specialises in children’s books and great recommendations." Their mascot is a cute little hippo.
Visit them online:
The Last Bookstore
Los Angeles, CA
Located in a one-hundred-year-old bank building, The Last Bookstore has large, vaulted ceilings and books as far as the eye can see. They’re the largest new and used bookstore in California. Aside from the books (I know, blasphemy!) they also have a record store, comic book store, 5 art studios, an epic yarn shop, a famous book tunnel, a mammoth head, and unexpected nooks and crannies of oddities. They also claim one of their bank vaults is haunted.
Photo Credit: Lex Voight
Photo Credit: @cloud_symmetry
Visit them online:
Sweet Pickle Books
New York, NY
I had to include this place because it's just oozing millennial vibes. Please forgive me Gen Z. This oddball hole-in-the-wall bookstore sells pickles, which they claim are incredibly good. (Until we visit, the jury is out on the pickles.) They've also got a delightfully retro store window with gold lettering, a glass window with somewhat creepy dolls and an old television set.
While scrolling their Instagram, I was awash in the feels of the 90s and 00s with throwbacks from Matilda, All That, Sex and the City, and The Simpsons--all cleverly woven in with their bookish theme.
Photo Credit: Instagram: @oonaro_
Visit them online:
Shakespeare & Company
Paris, France
“I created this bookstore like a man would write a novel, building each room like a chapter, and I like people to open the door the way they open a book, a book that leads into a magic world in their imaginations.” —George Whitman
Shakespeare & Company is an English language bookstore located right across from Notre Dame Cathedral.
Visit them online:
El Ateneo Grand Splendid
Buenos Aires, Argentina
One of the most beautiful bookstores in the world! With over one million visitors a year! Et Ateneo Grand Splendid is inside of an ornate former theatre.
Photo Credit: Roberto Fiadone
Photo Credit: Above and Below, Liam Quinn
Visit them online:
Sundog Books
Seaside, Florida
When most people think bookstores, they think of dim lighting, the smell of old pages, and plush couches. Think again! Sundog Books is #beachread vibes and totally worth the visit. They're a family-owned, indie bookstore that has been in business for 30+ years! Check out these amazing photos below.
Photo Credit: @nicki.festervad.parks
Visit them online:
Boulder Book Store
Boulder, CO
Nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder Book Store is the largest independent bookstore in the area and Publishers Weekly Bookstore of the Year for 2018!
Visit them online:
Talk Story Bookstore
Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii🌺
Aloha! Meet Talk Story Bookstore, the Westernmost bookstore in the United States. Talk Story hosts variety of new books, used books, out of print books, comic books, vinyl records, vintage books, rare + collectables, and even vintage video games!
I would be remiss to mention Talk Story’s infamous cat boss, Celeste. Pictured below at her perch, where she oversees all book sales. Don’t worry…she has an Instagram. And yes, we’re already following her. lol
Visit them online:
Book Mill
Montague, MA
Ready to lounge with a book while overlooking the river?
The Montague Bookmill is a used bookstore housed in an 1842 gristmill, set on the banks of the Sawmill River, a few miles north of Northampton and Amherst, Massachusetts. The mill building is also home to a unique cafe, a gourmet restaurant, a record store selling vinyl, CD’s and DVD’s, and an artists’ collective.
Visit them online:
Powell's Books
Portland, OR
A bookstore that is so large you need a map? Be still my heart. Powell's Books in Portland, OR is so large it takes up an entire city block.
Visit them online:
Cook & Book
Brussels, Belgium
Feeling peckish? Might I suggest Cook & Book—a combined restaurant and bookstore experience. Yes, you heard that right. Do you need a link straight to Expedia? I got you.
Cook & Book has nine bookshops each with a different dining ambience.
Visit them online:
(360 view) https://cookandbook.com/visite360/
Bart's Books
Bart’s Books has the most simplistic and breathtaking outdoor setting. Some of the photos remind me of The Hobbit. So, of course, it made the list! They’ve bee in business since 1964 and host a collection of 130,000+ used and new books, including rare out-of-print selections and well-loved favorites.
Bart’s says, “Our serene, naturalistic setting embodies what attracts so many to the Ojai Valley: an emphasis on mindfulness, peace, and shared knowledge.” I’d have to agree! What do you think?
Visit them online:
Libreria Acqua Alta
Venice, Italy
What do cats, gondolas, and hordes of books have in common? They're all at Libreria Acqua Alta, a beautiful and unique bookstore located in Venice, Italy. Below you'll see stairs made of books that lead into the bookstore.
Photo Credit: https://www.instagram.com/woolley.sarah/
Visit them online:
*** Please note any photos without credit are directly from the bookstore themselves and their links are included at the bottom of each feature. **
This article was written by E.V. Everest.
E.V. Everest is a YA fantasy and sci-fi author, best known for her novel Seven Crowns. Check out more of her work by clicking any of the book covers below.
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